FEEDINGA FOOTBALLER Each month the Arsenal head Christian Sandhagen tells us what dishes he prepares to help keep the players at the top of their game, and nutritionist James Collins reveals the benefits of the menu.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Laurent Koscielny likes his fish. Plain and simple, a fish dish is always his preference when eating at the players’ restaurant. “Yes, that’s my favourite,” the defender told us. He added that he doesn’t have a preference for a particular meal, so we asked Christian to cook something that he knows has gone down well with Laurent before. “Laurent always comes up for lunch and, like Petr Cech, he’s a very disciplined eater,” the chef said. “He always go for fish and vegetables with rice or veg. He always follows it with fruit. “So here’s a healthy and tasty recipe that he loves. It’s quick and easy to make as well.”

24 ARSENAL MAGAZINE LAURENT’S HALIBUT WITH LENTILS AND VIERGE INGREDIENTS l 4 halibut fillets (180g each) l 1 lemon l 200g puy lentils l 100g diced pancetta l 2 tbsp diced carrots l 2 tbsp diced celery METHOD l 1 diced shallot l Sprinkle the fish with salt, lemon zest and l 2 diced gloves pepper and leave to marinate for one hour. l 1 sprig of thyme l Gently fry the pancetta in a dry pan l 800ml roasted chicken stock until golden. For the sauce vierge l Remove the excess fat from the pan and l 6 tbsp extra virgin gently fry the carrots, celery shallots and garlic until golden. l 1 l Add the lentils, thyme and chicken stock. l 1 lemon l Bring to the boil and simmer for around l 1 diced shallot half hour. Season to taste with salt and l 1 tbsp chopped pepper and keep warm. l 1 tbsp chopped dill l Pan fry the halibut in olive oil for four l 1 tbsp chopped to five minutes on each side, then add the l 2 tbsp good-quality balsamic lemon juice, remove from heat and leave to vinegar rest for five minutes. l To make the sauce, warm up the olive oil, add the rest of the ingredients and serve.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Arsenal’s resident nutritionist James Collins tells us…

Laurent’s recipe is a very balanced Have you seen recovery meal for lunch or dinner. The lentils provide an excellent supply Christian’s great of slow-release carbohydrate to refuel the muscles. recipe videos on The halibut is a high-quality source of protein to support muscle repair after hard field or gym training. Facebook? Head to The dish is also a great provider of fibre, which is Arsenal’s Ofcial necessary for a healthy gut. More generally, December means lots of games and limited Facebook page to time for the players to recover. see these recipes The food they eat at this time of year becomes very important replenish their energy and to stop their muscles come to life. feeling sore, so they’re ready for the next match.

ARSENAL MAGAZINE 25